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The Bioethics and Law Observatory publishes a new report on the refusal of Jehovah’s witnesses to accept blood transfusions

By 12 de December de 2005November 18th, 2020No Comments
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 12.12.2005

The Bioethics and Law Observatory publishes a new report on the refusal of Jehovah’s witnesses to accept blood transfusions

In accordance with their beliefs, Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions. How should health professionals react to this? Should the decisions of these patients be respected even when they may put their lives at risk? How should this be done?

In this regard, the Opinion Group of the (OBD), a group that belongs to the Universitat de Barcelona (UB; University of Barcelona) and is located at the Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB, Barcelona Science Park), has published a “Declaration on the refusal of Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept blood transfusions”. This report provides useful guidelines for society at large, healthcare centres and public administration that will help to clarify the debate on whether the health-related decisions taken by the Christians known as Jehovah’s Witnesses should be respected even when the final outcome may be life-threatening. The report, which has been presented today in a press conference, has been coordinated by Ana Sánchez Urrutia, lecturer in Constitutional Law at the UB, and by Victòria Martorell, physician at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau de Barcelona and specialist in hospital management.